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I love this story, appearing in the New York Times, written by Ruth La Ferla. How refreshing and invigorating to see someone my age strike an individualistic fashion statement without reserve.

Calm, graceful and unapologetic, Lyn Slater asserts her free will and expressive clothing choices with aplomb and panache. She gives me hope that there may be some women out there willing to take a chance and wear clothing that is outside the narrow restrictions of “the norm.” Bravo Lyn!

Jan Kirstein

Click below image to open this story.

If you like this story, you might find my fashions appealing at Kirsteinfineart. My fashions can work well for you, no matter your age. Young or age plus, these styles make a definite statement for the woman who is an individualist. Check out my fashions And enjoy my landing page here for my new Collection: Evening Splendor.

“Shaman’s Dream,” long sleeve women’s t-shirt by Jan Kirstein : Front. This design originated from my mixed media painting of the same name.

“Wild and Wicked 2” by Jan Kirstein. Click images to see enlargements.

Writing advice from Coco Chanel

No doubt you’ve heard of Coco Chanel, the French fashion designer who liberated women from stiff, formal clothing and popularized the still-ubiquitous “Little Black Dress.” Her fashion advice remains legendary—just Google “remove one accessory” and your screen will fill with blogs and articles quoting or misquoting her famous dictum

“Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.”

But while Chanel intended that as fashion advice, I think it works just as well for writers.

How many adverbs have you used? Surely you don’t need them all. And those adjectives—wouldn’t a few descriptive phrases enliven your work more?

Of course, before you can revise—your outfit or your writing—you have to create it first. Write until you’ve finished the draft. But before it “leaves the house,” give it a good once-over. Is every word, every sentence, necessary? If it isn’t—copy, cut, and paste. Slap it into the writer’s equivalent of a jewelry box, the Outtakes file.

While we’re on the subject of revising, I’d lop off “In order” at the top of that sentence. But let’s not blame Chanel; perhaps it got added in translation.

“To be irreplaceable, one must be different.” I tell my writers a variation of this all the time. And my clients, too. They talk about subjects that thousands—millions—of people have already talked about: diversity, ethics, management. How can they differentiate themselves from the crowd? By weaving their own stories into the mix. No one else has had yourexperiences, has your perspective.

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Photo by Nica Guerrero

This week’s New Moon brings an abundance of creative energy and abundant pathways in new possibilities. I hope all of you are enjoying this surge of energy. While it may feel disquieting in some ways to some of you, new doors will be opening to those who move ahead with the uplifting energy.

I am continuing to paint as well as create in my basement studio. If you check out the painting on my home page at the very top, you will see a collage constructed from Japanese paper and sumi-e ink. I love the haiki brush and ink, and I love the Japanese papers I find at my local art store, Preston’s Art Supplies, that is like the Moses (Father) of art supply stores here in Louisville. Their selection of Japanese paper has me salivating with creative fervor, big time!

Though my goal is to have a studio for creating my art work, I am currently grateful for my basement, waterlogged but still a concrete real space for painting. My hope is to generate a studio space through my creative process. I do not think this is an unreasonable dream as I have been a professional painter for over 40 years.

So my idea is to finance this dream with my creative process. You can see my shopify website here, so see all the fabulous fashions that are flowing like an electric waterfall of exciting creative abundance.

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Sometimes prolonged hardship can generate this kind of creative abundance and so now after one of the hardest years I have ever survived in 35 years of teaching , I am so grateful for my Summer break, this opportunity to explore and expand my creative ocean.

New Moon

This year has been hard for Kentucky teachers, as you may have heard, due to the issues emerging from challenges generated through the legislature and the governor of Kentucky, as the passage of a Sewage Bill , which began a malevolent hacking away of our pension plan, a breaking of a contractual agreement, a legal contract. But faith, reason and courage combined with the power of our unity gives Kentucky Teachers renewed hope each day in the unfolding of our current challenges. The challenges continue, and the teachers will not give up.

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Meanwhile, Summer brings an At-Last! kind of renewal and period of hope and renewal through creative abundance and faith.

Though the process of constructing my paintings into fashion, I feel the elation of purpose in creating for everyone in this endeavor. The fashion line I am creating: “Evening Splendor,” combines the feel of casual comfort with the look of dressy occasion. And making these clothes is just so much fun!

Now I am going to ask for your opinion. Vote on your favorite Evening Splendor outfit. Just put your answer in the response box below, or if you don’t want to fool with joining WordPress, please send your vote directly to my email here.

#1 #2 #3 #4 #5

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“A living room is a great space to embrace thoughtful disorder, such as through an artistic gallery wall, mix-and-match throw pillows, open storage baskets and fun furniture…” From this Houzz story on How to Decorate A Living Room.

Let’s Play with the Concept of a Gallery Wall in your home…

Click on thumbnails to enlarge.

Left: Painting by Nancy Hillis. Top right: Fine art print by Jan Kirstein and bottom right: Collage by Hildy Maze. To contact Hildy Maze or Nancy Hillis with further questions, just message me. For more information about the print by Jan Kirstein click here

Another Gallery Wall in your Home:

Click on thumbnails to enlarge.

Gallery wall includes painted panels on left, by Karen Jacobs, top right image is painting on paper by Lee Brewster and the bottom right is a fine art print by Jan Kirstein. For inquiries about the work on Lee Brewster and Karen Jacobs you can contact me on this website. Also I have stories on both of these artists on this blog as well. To find out more about the fine art print by me, click here.

Create a gallery wall in your home. If you would like help with this fun project, just email me at janiskirstein@gmail.com, or contact me on this website. I would love to hear from you and help you out with choosing your preferences.

Here is a story about one of my favorite architects along with some art suggestions that would work with the Prairie Style.

To find out more about this print by Jan Kirstein click here for types of prints available, mats, and frames.

To find out more about this print by Jan Kirstein click here for types of prints available, mats, and frames.

To find out more about this print “The Shaman’s Journey” by Jan Kirstein click here for types of prints available, mats, and frames.

To find out more about this print “Justice” by Jan Kirstein click here for types of prints available, mats, and frames.

And while you are looking at these prints, you can tour all of Fine Art America’s website for many other artist’s works available, as well as additional works by Jan Kirstein. Just click here for more available on Fine Art America.